How Creativity, Exercise and Nutrition can help to Better Manage Mental Health Conditions by Louise Lord

Bullet points of what you would like to talk about:

My Mental Life blog

Mental Health Conditions

My story

Creativity

Exercise

Nutrition

Then and Now

Future projects

A few paragraphs on your subject:

Research is telling us that mental health issues are on the rise yet society is still reluctant to talk in public. Admitting to having a mental health condition can have a profound effect on an individuals life. I have severe Bipolar Affective Disorder. It nearly killed me. But it didn’t. My talk aims to openly discuss how I saved my life by taking responsibility for my disorder.

There are many things that I have done in a moment of Bipolar madness, which I wish I could take back. But I can’t, so instead I would like to talk about my mistakes in the hope that others might examine their own lifestyle. I strongly believe in medication for mental health conditions. Unfortunately the side effects are rather disastrous. Lack of energy, emotions and focus can lead to a limbo like state. This is why creativity, exercise and nutrition are so important in managing a mental health condition. It finds that spark inside us and helps it to grow so that we can discover who we are again.

A few paragraphs about you:

I was Edinburgh’s notorious party girl for almost a decade. I fought my mental health condition every step of the way until it nearly killed me in number of ways; drugs, alcohol and depression. Now I live the life of an adventurer; following the seasons around the globe. Last year I was living in Australia, now France and in June I move to New Zealand. Clean living hasn’t been easy but I love life again.

Last year I launched my website www.mymentallife.co.uk which looks at how creativity, nutrition and exercise can help to better manage mental health conditions. My passions are charity work, photography,cooking, yoga and snowboarding. My aim is to open channels of communication regarding mental health conditions. I want people to know that a diagnosis isn’t a life sentence but something that can be used as a tool to better evaluate their lifestyle.

What free internet knowledge resources would you recommend to others if they wish to explore your chosen theme further?